Underground cities in of Cappadocia
* Derinkuyu
Derinkuyu is situated 29km from Nevsehir, on the road to Nigde. The settlement is approximately 85m deep. It contains all the usual rooms found in an underground settlement (stables, cellars, refectories, churches, wineries etc.). Apart from these, a large room with a barrel vaulted ceiling on the second floor was a missionary school, the rooms to the left being study rooms.
From the 3rd and 4th floors onwards the descent is by way of vertical staircases which lead to the cruciform plan church on the lowest floor.
The 55m deep ventilation shaft was also used as a well. Not every floor was provided with a well, however, some wells were not connected with the surface in order to protect the dwellers from poisoning during raids. Derinkuyu Underground settlement was opened to visitors in 1965, but so far only 10% can be visited
* Kaymakli
This underground settlement which is located in the centre of the village of Özlüce, the ancient name of which was Zile, is on the Nevsehir-Derinkuyu road, 6 km south of the town of Kaymakli.
Ozluce Underground settlement is different from the others in terms of its geological formation and architectural features. The underground settlement has tufa of different colors. There is only one floor in this underground settlement which has not been completely opened; however, it covers a very large area.
At the entrance is a place with two intertwining arches made of basalt. Access to the main tufa stone can be gained through a 15 m long passage, made of rubble stone. The stone places, which lead to the underground settlement, are more recent than the rock hollowed places that form the underground settlement. At the end of this passage there is a millstone door which is made of hard granite and is 1.75 m in diameter.
Being the largest area in the underground settlement, the main space at the entrance consists of two parts. To the right of the main space are storage rooms, and to the left are living areas. On the sides of the long corridors are cell-like rooms and on the floor are traps
* Ozkonak
This underground settlement is in the center of the town of Ozkonak, 14 km north of Avanos and hollowed out into the west slopes of the Idis Dagi ,where the tufa layers are mainly found.
Although there is only one floor, it covers a large area and the spaces are connected to each other with tunnels. Unlike the important underground cities of Kaymakli and Derinkuyu, there are very long and narrow holes to enable communication between the levels. When the entrances of neatly hollowed chambers were closed, those narrow (5 cm in diameter) and long holes were used also for ventilation.
Unlike the other underground settlements, just in front of the millstone doors, on the ceiling of the tunnels, there are small holes which were made to pour hot oil on the enemy, or to spear them.
As in the underground cities of Kaymakli and Derinkuyu, in this underground settlement are a ventilation shaft, a well, a winery and millstone doors.
* Ozluce
This underground settlement which is located in the centre of the village of Ozluce, the ancient name of which was Zile, is on the Nevsehir-Derinkuyu road, 6 km south of the town of Kaymakli.
Ozluce Underground settlement is different from the others in terms of its geological formation and architectural features. The underground settlement has tufa of different colors. There is only one floor in this underground settlement which has not been completely opened; however, it covers a very large area.
At the entrance is a place with two intertwining arches made of basalt. Access to the main tufa stone can be gained through a 15 m long passage, made of rubble stone. The stone places, which lead to the underground settlement, are more recent than the rock hollowed places that form the underground settlement. At the end of this passage there is a millstone door which is made of hard granite and is 1.75 m in diameter.
Being the largest area in the underground settlement, the main space at the entrance consists of two parts. To the right of the main space are storage rooms, and to the left are living areas. On the sides of the long corridors are cell-like rooms and on the floor are traps
* Tatlarin
The village of Tatlarin, located 10 km north of the town of Acigol, is one of the interesting places in Cappadocia because of both its underground settlement and churches and the architecture of its houses. Its underground settlement, located on the hill called ‘the castle’ by the locals of the village, was first discovered in 1975 and opened to the public in 1991. The size of the chambers in the underground settlement, only two floors of which can be visited; the presence of the toilets, which also can only be found at the Guzelyurt Underground Settlement; the abundance of the depots for food and of the churches make one think that this place was either a garrison or a monastic complex rather than an underground settlement.
The Tatlarin Church
The church is on the slope of the hill, called "the castle", in the town of Tatlarin, about 10 km north of Acigol. The narthex of the church, which has two naves and two apses, is collapsed. The well preserved scenes are separated from each other with dividers. The background is dark gray whereas with figures colors like purple, mustard color and red are used.
Scenes: On the apse Mother Mary and Baby Jesus, Archangels Michael and Gabriel; Constantine the Great and Helena, Transfiguration, Anastasis, Entry into Jerusalem, Crucifixion and portraits of 9 saints as well as the donor's.
